How do you say "history" in Japanese?

歴史

rekishi

Noun Kanji

In Japanese, "history" is 歴史 (rekishi).

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Pronunciation

歴史 is written using kanji. Romanised as rekishi, it sounds roughly like "reh-kee-shee" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Rekishi uses 歴 (experience/history) and 史 (history/record). A word emphasizing recorded experiences of the past.

Example sentence

歴史はどこにありますか？

Rekishi wa doko ni arimasu ka?

Where is the history?

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How to remember 歴史

Records of past events. Both kanji point to documentation and time.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

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Questions about 歴史

How do you pronounce 歴史?

歴史 is romanised as rekishi. Say it roughly like "reh-kee-shee" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is 歴史 formal or casual?

歴史 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is 歴史 written in Japanese?

歴史 is written using kanji. Rekishi uses 歴 (experience/history) and 史 (history/record).

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"History" in other languages

Curated by Callan Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.

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